Soft Cell

Biography

Soft Cell is an English synth-pop duo that gained prominence in the early 1980s. The duo consists of vocalist Marc Almond and instrumentalist David Ball. They are best known for their 1981 cover of "Tainted Love" and their platinum-selling debut album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret.

Formation and Early Years

Marc Almond and David Ball met at Leeds Polytechnic in 1977. Almond was involved in performance art, and Ball was experimenting with synthesizers. They formed Soft Cell in 1978, performing their first shows at the art school. Their initial performances were avant-garde, often incorporating visual elements and performance art. In 1980, they self-financed and released their debut EP, Mutant Moments. This led to them being noticed by Stevo, founder of the Some Bizzare label, who would become their manager.

Breakthrough and Success

Soft Cell's early single "Memorabilia" became a club hit in 1981. However, it was their cover of Gloria Jones' 1964 northern soul track "Tainted Love" that catapulted them to international fame. Released in 1981, "Tainted Love" became a number one hit in 17 countries, including the UK, and was the best-selling single of 1981 in the UK. In the United States, the song set a Guinness World Record at the time for the longest consecutive stay on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, lasting 43 weeks.

Their debut album, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret, was released in November 1981 and reached number five on the UK Albums Chart. The album explored themes of urban life, loneliness, and the seedier side of romance, featuring other hit singles like "Bedsitter" and "Say Hello, Wave Goodbye".

Subsequent Albums and Initial Split

The duo released a remix album, Non-Stop Ecstatic Dancing, in 1982, which included the hit "What!". Their second studio album, The Art of Falling Apart (1983), showcased a darker and more introspective sound. By 1984, the pressures of fame and creative differences led to the amicable decision to disband. They released their final album of that era, This Last Night in Sodom, and played farewell concerts in early 1984.

Reunions and Later Career

After the split, Marc Almond embarked on a successful and diverse solo career, while David Ball worked as a producer and was part of the electronic dance act The Grid. Soft Cell reunited in 2000 for a series of live dates and released a new album, Cruelty Without Beauty, in 2002. They announced a final farewell concert in London in September 2018 to mark their 40th anniversary. However, they later decided to continue recording together and released the album *Happiness Not Included in May 2022. An expanded version of their 1982 remix album, *Non-Stop Ecstatic Dancing*, is scheduled for release in 2025.

Studio Albums

• Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (1981)
• The Art of Falling Apart (1983)
• This Last Night in Sodom (1984)
• Cruelty Without Beauty (2002)
• *Happiness Not Included (2022)